Thursday 6 June 2024

In the first televised leadership debate of the General Election campaign, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer took the stage on Tuesday 4 June to debate hot-button issues of the day. One of the more divisive issues discussed was the future of the Rwanda asylum scheme and the role of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

Prime Minister Sunak indicated that he would consider withdrawing the UK from the ECHR if the Rwanda asylum scheme fails to take effect after the election. He responded that he would prioritise the country’s security over compliance with ‘a foreign court’, referencing the June 2022 incident when the European Court of Human Rights halted the first flight carrying asylum seekers to Rwanda (an incident which marked the beginning of numerous legal challenges faced by the Government regarding the Rwanda scheme).

Conversely, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer expressed his support for remaining a signatory of the ECHR, emphasising the importance of the UK being seen as “a respected player on the world stage, not a pariah.” The Labour Party has already pledged to scrap the Rwanda policy if if it forms the next Government. Further details are expected to be included in the much-anticipated party manifestos, which are yet to be published.